Vol. 12, Issue 9 (2023)

Author(s):
Vivek Gumasta, KN Nagaich, Devesh Kumar Pandey and CK Saxena

Abstract:
Most tomato varieties are inbred, highlighting the necessity to describe and assess morphological diversity as a resource for genotype selection with desired attributes toward ecotypes. A variety development study was conducted at the University Farm, Bhopal of the Mansarovar Global University, Sehore, Madhya Pradesh, in which sixteen released and un-released ecotypes/varieties of tomato with two local checks were evaluated for selected morphological features utilizing developmental, vegetative and fruit traits etc. The experiment was laid out in the Randomized Block Design with three replications and conducted for two consecutive years in 2020 and 2021. A broad range of variation has been observed among varieties, observations were recorded for the inflorescence and multiparous inflorescence, immature fruit colour, flesh colour of pericarp, colour of shoulder trips and intensity of greenback shoulder also the width of pedical (narrow, medium and wide), colour of flesh (dark and, intermediate). Slight intensity, and intermediate greenback shoulder were observed in five and two ecotypes respectively while and no intensity was observed in the rest. Narrow, medium and wide width of pedicel scars were found in six, six and four ecotypes, whereas, dark and intermediate colour flesh was present six and eight ecotypes respectively. Overall, the tomato ecotype VNR (THT) 9/2020 was revealed to be highly influenced and superior in all morphological characteristics for both the years as well as in pooled data. Whereas, the minimum morphological, yield, quality and economic parameters for both the years as well as pooled data were observed in the check ecotype of Shree.